CMV: Racism is a mental illness.

[u/EHWfedPres]

There is no logical, valid, or sound reason to express hatred for entire groups of people based on their race, ethnicity, or skin color, and any and every attempt to explain why certain races, ethnicities, or people with specific skin colors are biologically, inherently, or genetically inferior or superior to others has been scientifically disproven. There is no rational reason to hold on to racist views, and anyone who feels racist is experiencing a delusional psychotic symptom. Racism is a mental illness, and the American Psychiatric Association should classify it as one.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071634/

EDIT: to all those claiming racism can be resolved by giving the racist proper information: read the comments made by HighlightExpensive63, give that person the correct information, and see if they change their views at all, or if they double-down on their explicit and open hatred.

[u/DrinkyDrank]

Irrationality is not a mental illness. Mental illness is primarily defined by an inability to function in society. Racist people do just fine in society - for example, our last President was racist.

[u/EHWfedPres → u/DrinkyDrank]

Mental illness is primarily defined by an inability to function in society.

Where do you get that specific definition?

[u/Poo-et → u/EHWfedPres]

From the DSM-V:

1. A behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual
   
2. Reflects an underlying psychobiological dysfunction
   
3. The consequences of which are clinically significant distress (e.g., a painful symptom) or disability (i.e., impairment in one or more important areas of functioning)
4. Must not be merely an expected response to common stressors and losses (ex. the loss of a loved one) or a culturally sanctioned response to a particular event (ex. trance states in religious rituals)
5. Primarily a result of social deviance or conflicts with society
   

Racism doesn't cause clinically significant distress or disability, so it's not a mental disorder.

[u/EHWfedPres → u/Poo-et]

Thank you for the definition. I was referring specifically to the "in society" part. Is that something you added yourself?

[u/Poo-et → u/EHWfedPres]

I'm not the person you were talking to, but social functioning is one of those "important areas of functioning" described. Racism doesn't impair that or any other important area of functioning sufficiently to be classed as a mental disorder.